The Demise of the Daniel J. Morrell

There's something fascinating about shipwrecks and the Great Lakes have certainly seen more than their share of disaster. In 1966, the freighter Daniel J. Morrell sank during a vicious November storm on Lake Huron and all but one of the 29 crew members perished. The sole survivor was a young man in his twenties who found life-saving warmth by huddling against the bodies of three dead shipmates. Today, the 'Morrell' has become a destination for experienced divers. Unfortunately, the narration here by producer Mark Grumbinger is stultifying: a wooden delivery which makes it painfully obvious that he's reading from cue cards. Viewers also never find out the eventual fate of the survivor. Following his ordeal at sea, the man experienced some serious emotional problems, but we're left wondering whether he's still alive. Finally, the pace of the video is slow and relies more on the inherent interest in shipwrecks than on any technical skills of the producers in bringing this story to life. Public libraries located in the Great Lakes states will want to consider this, but it's optional elsewhere. Aud: P. (J. Carlson)